Through the Furnace of Pain

Pain, in its many forms is a part of human experience. There is physical pain that we experience whether young or old. There is emotional pain. There is spiritual pain. There is the pain of singleness and the ache inside for lifelong companionship. There is pain of all kinds and different degrees. Pain is an inseparable part of the human experience. Wiersbe describes in this chapter the necessity of pain.

"All of us have suffered pain during our pilgrimage of life. We could have avoided the pain, but we have learned that the most important things in life usually involve suffering. If people lived to avoid pain, they would never want to grow up. But just think of what they would miss!

Take the matter of human birth. To be sure, we have modern scientific methods to protect mothers, but there is still a certain amount of pain. Jesus Himself used this as an illustration of His own suffering when He said, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world" (John 16:21).

Think, too, of the pain and sorrow that the mother and father experience as they seek to raise that child. The old proverb says, "When they are little, children step on your feet; but when they are older, they step on your heart." Often this is true. In my ministry I have met dedicated Christian parents whose hearts have been broken because of wayward children who failed to heed their instruction and example. If everybody really lived to avoid pain, nobody would get married and raise a family; yet people do it all the time." (p. 71)

I am not a parent and cannot speak to the event of childbirth or even raising a child. As a child, I can remember the times when I have stepped on my parents feet and times when I have hurt my parents emotionally. There is pain in childbirth. There is pain in raising a child. I don't think the point of chapter is to highlight the fact that life is so dark and painful, but to say that these important relationships in life involve hurt. Wiersbe draws the physical comparison of pain such as in the body. The pain in my joints indicate there is a situation somewhere. There is some kind of issue that needs attention. Likewise, pain also in the spiritual sense has also a purpose.

"What are the higher ministries of pain? Well, for one thing, pain can have a purifying power. The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:1, "For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." One of the modern translations puts it, "You must realize then that to be dead to sin inevitably means pain." I once went through intense physical suffering, and it very definitely had a purifying effect on my heart and mind. It made me see spiritual things a lot more clearly. My priorities were rearranged. Granted, pain by itself can never accomplish this; but when we yield to Christ and ask for His help, pain can purify us.

A secondary ministry of pain is that of fellowship with Christ. In Philippians 3:10 Paul writes about "the fellowship of his [Christ's] sufferings." Some people turn against God when they go through suffering, but this need not be so. You and I can be drawn closer to God by faith when we are going through the furnace of pain." (p. 71).

It is so true. These two benefits of pain are so real. I hate to use the word benefit because it sounds so unusual to describe pain that way. These eight or so weeks with my condition has allowed me to think through my priorities and I begin to rethink some times. I have learned also to take better care of my body. When I was in grad school, I had a cup of coffee nearly every day and sometimes two cups. In the past three or so weeks I have given up coffee completely and began to eat a lot more vegetables. Also, fruits once created nausea for me but I have forced myself to slowly include more fruit into my diet. I have reflected more on suffering more than ever and my prayer life has increased significantly. Hardship really reorients us to God especially when our relationship has been lukewarm.

"Pain purifies. Pain draws the Christian closer to Christ. Pain glorifies God. But we must also remember that pain today means glory and honor tomorrow. Paul wrote, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18). God doesn't always settle His accounts in this life. In fact, no Christian should expect to receive much reward in this world. Jesus said, "In the world you shall have tribulation." A man said to me one day, "I don't believe in hell or heaven. You have your hell or heaven here on earth." That man was wrong. The unsaved person had better enjoy this world all he can, because it's the only heaven he will ever see! "It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment."

But the Christian is looking forward to the glory of heaven. Jim Elliot, one of the martyred missionaries of Ecuador; wrote in his journal: "He is no fool to give what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." If we suffer with Christ today, it only means glory with Christ tomorrow. For the Christian, the best is yet to come.

Have you surrendered your pain to Christ and asked Him to use it for your good and His glory? I suggest that you do so by faith. God doesn't promise to remove our pain, or even to relieve our pain; but He does promise to transform it and use it for His eternal purposes.

The great apostle Paul was in pain. He had a thorn in the flesh, given to him by God to help keep him humble and useful. Paul did what any Christian would have done--he prayed for the pain to be removed. God did not answer his prayer, but He did meet his need. He gave Paul all the grace he needed to transform that weakness into strength, that suffering into glory. And God will give grace to you and me if only we will yield our all to Him." (p. 73-74).

This final passage presents an eternal hope. Although Wiersbe emphasizes the life after and the hope that is to come, in so doing, I think he minimizes the present life. It is true that the believer's best life is yet to come, and the hope of heaven helps us to have an eternal perspective, but people in pain really need help for the present moment. In discussing the life after, the author does not provide much encouragement for people hurting now. I do like the mention of Paul and his thorn in the flesh and God's sufficient grace to sustain Paul.

There was a devotional this morning that really ministered to me. It was like every line spoke to me in my present situation. I really wrestled with discouragement as I woke up this morning, thinking that God has forgotten me and this devotional was so powerful and so timely. So many parts of it encourages me including the comment on Psalm 23 that God is with us in the green pastures as well as the shadow of death and God has a purpose for our pain.

   FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2012

A Purpose in the Storm 

But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 

—1 Corinthians 2:9

It has been said that the hammer shatters glass, but it forges steel. God has His purposes in the storms of our lives. God is in control, and He has a plan.

God knows all things in the past, present, and future. And God—and God alone—is uniquely qualified to know when to ordain or to permit evil and suffering and when not to. Therefore, if He allows, or even brings, something into your life, then He has a plan in mind for it.

We love to follow the Lord when things are going the way we want them to go. But when we come across a rough patch, we put on the brakes. We don't want to go through that hardship.

That is why I like Psalm 23, one of the greatest Scripture passages in the Bible: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters" (verses 1–2). Then David goes on to say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (verse 4).

We love those green pastures and still waters. But we are not really excited about a valley, especially when the shadow of death is written over it. But God is with us in those times as well. That is what is to follow the Lord.

Life on earth for the believer is as bad as it will ever get. If you are a Christian, realize that the worst time of your life is as bad as it will ever be. That is the hope we have.

And through the hardships of our lives, God can accomplish great things.

How to Keep Going

I find myself not completely overwhelmed right now. I received a notice regarding student loans this afternoon and this help to add some more anxiety to an already anxiety-filled life, but I do not feel overwhelmed at the present moment. You can even say I feel peaceful. Both knees and ankles have been feeling discomfort all day and nothing so far has helped. Things can seem pretty bleak at times.

Wiersbe talks about how to keep going when facing life challenges. This particular example is from the life of Paul.

"He knew that wherever he went there would be trouble and pain and persecution. Some of his friends warned him to protect himself and escape. But the great apostle Paul was not the kind of person who ran away from difficulty or challenge. This is why, in Acts 20:24, he said to his friends, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (p. 65).

Paul was not moved by the difficulties he faced. That is extreme confidence in the face of hardship. Paul knew he had a mission and he faced it with determination. Wiersbe looks particularly at three parts of this text, "my life", "my course", and "my ministry".

"Jesus told His disciples, "He that sayeth his life shall lose it, but he that loseth his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." He also said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Your life is a gift from God. "In him we live, and move, and have our being." Even before you were born, God knew you and had a purpose for your life. Your talents and abilities, your interests, your strengths, and even your weaknesses, are all a part of a divine plan. God gave you natural life, but He also gave you spiritual life through faith in Jesus Christ. God made you and God saved you. The life you have, physically and spiritually, is the gift of God.

Paul did not keep this gift for himself. He gave it back to God for Him to use for the glory of Jesus Christ. He said, "Neither count I my life dear unto myself .... " There is a principle in the spiritual life that says whatever you keep, you lose; whatever you give, you possess forever: If you count your life dear to yourself, and protect your own interests, and pamper yourself, then you will never really live. But if you yield yourself to the Lord and let Him control your life, you will enjoy abundant life." (p. 66).

This is a crucial point. Jesus calls us to lose our life so that we may save it. Paul regarded his life as a gift from God and with his life he poured himself out even to the point of his detriment. Retirement is always a good illustration of this. If we look at the life of Moses, then we realize that the Christian never has a real sense of retirement. I don't think it is wrong to go on vacation, but I think that the idea is that we regard our life as a gift from God and should be giving it in a life of service.

The second part to the text is the course we are on.

"In Philippians 3 and Hebrews 12, God compares the Christian life to a race, and He assigns each Christian runner his own special lane. The important thing is that we obey the rules, keep running for the prize, and stay in the correct lane. If we do, then God will reward us at the end of the course. If we fail to run as we should, we will lose our reward.

What keeps us from running the race as we should? Sometimes we get out of training." (p. 67).

Paul often uses the metaphor of a race when describing the Christian life. There are rules to the race. There is training for the race which includes diet, exercise and mental fitness. There are many good comparisons to our spiritual life and health. In order to run with endurance, we must be in the best possible spiritual shape of our lives. Wiersbe mentions two hindrances. Sometimes we look back and sometimes we look at the runners in the other lane. We are to do neither. We keep our eyes ahead and fix our eyes on Jesus. Lastly, each of us has a ministry, a mission God has called each of us to.

"Each of us has a special ministry from the Lord that no one can do for us. It is our ministry, assigned to us by the Lord, and we are responsible to finish it for His glory.. We never should envy somebody else because of his or her ministry, because the work God has given us to do is just as important in the eyes of God." (p. 69).

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the example of the Apostle Paul, his life and ministry. He pressed on with confidence no matter what he faced. I realize how out of shape I am both physically and spiritual for the race. Physically and spiritually I cannot run. I likely have arthritis in my joints, but I see also that I have a kind of spiritual arthritis that keeps me in much discomfort and immobile at times. God, You have given me a purpose. At times, I am really not sure what it is. So it is with that that I pray for clarity and direction. I pray also that You enable me to heal from my physical and spiritual arthritis that I may be able to run with perseverance the race marked out for me.

Honey Out of the Rock

It was about two or three weeks ago when my dad had a fascination with a digital device for finding trigger points. It is not only a trigger point finder but it shoots electricity into your trigger points. Any with some level of education would wonder about the validity of such a device, but you know when you feel hopeless, anything is better than nothing. So, for father's day I got the device for my father. Last night he used it on my joints. It appeared to do nothing during, and after as I went upstairs to my bedroom. Both my knees remained mildly stiff. However, when I lay in bed, my left knee became very swollen, hot, and at that moment, I became more sure than ever that this is very likely arthritis. The swollen and hot texture had not been present these two months but last night it was. The diagnosis of arthritis is like a death sentence, with no known cure, only pain medication for life. For someone who is thirty one, this is horrifying. I suddenly became extremely discouraged that I will ever get well. It is with this in mind that I open this chapter.

"One of God's promises to His children recorded in Psalm 81:16 is that He will satisfy us with "honey out of the rock." Of course, you and I know that honey is perhaps the sweetest thing that nature can produce; and a rock is one of the hardest things in nature. So, here we have sweetness coming out of hardness--"honey out of the rock." This is one of God's promises, and you should claim it for yourself." (p. 60)

Something sweet that can come out of something very hard. It is so difficult to believe. I cannot imagine anything sweet that can come out of my present difficulty. It is hard to maintain perspective when our present circumstances appear so gloomy. I have learned especially today to be thankful for the little things. Often in Christian circles we hear sermon illustrations of how someone sent an anonymous contribution to help in a particular project. I experienced this provision this morning. A neighbor gave us a huge bag of cucumbers. She doesn't know that I have my particular health condition. God knows. Cucumbers, as it turns out are a recommended food to aid in decreasing inflammation, which I have. It is like God knows exactly what I'm going through right now and had a neighbor remind me of His goodness and omniscience. Wiersbe goes from the more general principle into describing Biblical examples.

"I think of young Joseph who seemed to have nothing but rocks for thirteen years. First he was hated by his own brothers. Then he was sold into Egypt as a slave. Then, because he would not stoop to commit sin, he was thrown into prison and apparently forgotten. It was just one rocky experience after another, and seemingly for no purpose! But when it was over--when God had fulfilled His purposes--Joseph discovered honey out of the rock. These hard experiences prepared him to become God's servant and the second ruler over Egypt." (p. 61)

The list of injustices are long and extremely wrong. Being sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused of rape, betrayed while in prison, and his whole young adult years taken from him. It took a while before he knew exactly what all the difficulty was for. Each step brought him closer. He would have never ended up in Egypt had his brothers not sold him into slavery. He certainly would not be in prison if Podifer's wife did not falsely accuse him of attempted rape. And it was in prison of all places where the final hardship was. Wiersbe speaks about a trend he notices in the Psalms:

"I've noticed that many of the psalms have three divisions: tears, trust, and triumph. The psalm begins with tears and trouble, and the psalmist cries out to God. Then he gets his eyes off himself and his difficulties and looks to God in faith. When he does, a wonderful thing happens: his trials are replaced by triumph, and his sighing becomes singing. He has discovered honey out the rock.

This is what James is trying to teach us in the first verses of his letter, when he writes: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience .... " (James 1:2-3). Trials are not working against us; they are working for us! James is saying, "Don't run around the rocks, or stand there and expect God to remove them. Instead, look for the honey that is sure to come from the rocks!" (p. 62).

Trials are an ever present part of our lives. These moments as the Psalmist reflects on prodeuces tears. We hear the lament and cries of people going through some serious challenges. After a while, it turns to trust, and then to triumph. There is a progression for the Psalmist and this progression must be part of the believer. We cannot leave it be at tears.

"God says, taste and see that the Lord is good!" Once you know, Christ as your Savior and Lord, then you can face the hard places of life with confidence and courage, because God will give you "honey out of the rock." (p. 64)

Prayer:

Father, the list of men and women in history who have had hard experiences is long. We are shown examples like Joseph and Jesus of men who ran into hardship but ultimately something profoundly sweet came out of it. Suffering for the Christian is not in vain. Yet, it is so hard to find the honey in our hardship. Last night in particular was very discouraging. Father, I do thank You for the reminder this morning of Your goodness and omniscience. You know my situation and You provide. Help me I pray to see Your honey in my rock.

Under His Wings

Well, I felt like the past couple of chapters were so timely and relevant that I decided yesterday to look ahead to see what this next chapter will be. I knew yesterday it was about God's protection and care. All night and all day today I had hoped that today I would experience some sort of intervention from God in regards to my situation. It never came. The topic of the previous chapter becomes even more relevant, dealing with disappointments. In fact, as I had lunch with a brother today, it was a big struggle walking from the parking lot to the restaurant even though it was only about a twenty foot walk, something I could do in seconds only one year ago. I've felt pretty discouraged throughout the day since my joints are particularly bad today. It is so hard right now to know that God is taking care of me.

Wiersbe opens this chapter with an incident of Moody sailing from Britain to home in 18992. About three days into the journey the ship had some difficulties and the people on board did not know if they will survive. Moody clung to a verse in Psalm 91. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Moody wrote that it was his darkest hour of his life, yet in it he experienced God's peace and protection. Wiersbe goes on to further comment on this text.

 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty .... He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust." So promises the Lord in Psalm 91:1, 4. What does God mean by "under His wings"? Of course, we know that this is symbolical language, because God does not have wings. Some think that this has reference to the way the mother hen shelters and protects her brood. You will remember that Jesus used a similar comparison when He said, "How oft would I have gathered you, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not." (p. 56)

Wiersbe believes this is referring to the tabernacle and more specifically the three places. The outer court where the sacrifices were made, a holy places where priests burned the incense, and then there was the holy of holies where the ark of the covenant was kept. This was where God's presence dwelt and once a year the priests went into the holy of holies. When Christ died, this system was abolished and we all have access to the holy of holies. We can approach God's presence at any time on the basis of Christ's finished work. Psalm 91 is the focal point of this chapter and so Wiersbe goes on to describe some of God's promises.

"As you read Psalm 91, you discover that God makes some marvelous promises to those who will live under His wings, in the holy of holies. For one thing, He promises divine protection. This doesn't mean that we Christians never experience accidents or sickness, because you and I know that we do. God does not promise to protect us from trials, but to protect us in trials. The dangers of life may hurt us but they can never han us. We can claim His promise that these things are working for us and not against us.

Listen to one of these promises: "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Ps. 9:I 1-12). A modern scientific world laughs at the idea of angels, but not the child of God. Jesus taught that the angels of God watch over God's children." (p. 57).

I have always loved prepositions. I like the use of prepositions in this passage, God does not protect us from trials but He protects us in trials. God's angels are always looking out for God's people. Most often we don't even know it. I think one place God's angels protect us without us knowing it often is while we're driving. Just think of all the times we were protected from harm. I can think of countless times. God is working for us and not against us though it is often difficult to believe this particular promise.

"Believers are immortal in the will of God, until their work is done. Out of the will of God there is danger, but in the will of God there is a divine protection that gives us peace in our hearts, no matter how tough life might be. "Under His wings," abiding in Christ--this is where we are safest during the storms of life.

We do not, however, run into the holy of holies to hide from life. I'm afraid too many people misinterpret the Scriptures and the hymns that talk about hiding in God and finding Him a refuge in the storm. We go in for strength and help, and then go back to life to do His will. God's divine protection is not simply a luxury we enjoy; it is a necessity that we want to share with others. God's protection is preparation for God's service. We go in that we might go out. We worship that we might work; we rest that we might serve." (p. 58)

I really like this particular passage. Two key points are really well said. First, we are immortal till our work is done. I have always clung on to this truth. There was a brother who had a situation with his home and the safety of his life but God had protected him. It was such a close call, and I think of how true it is that we are immortal until our work here is done. God has numbered our days and we are not done until He says our days are complete. This is comforting that we are in God's hands. The other key point is that His protection is not merely for us to enjoy. We go in that we may go out and we worship that we will serve. There is a period of time that we get renewal and go into hiding. We do not stay there. Rather, we are brought back out into the battleground. Wiersbe closes with this thought:

 "Are you living in the shadow of the Lord, under His wings? Have you trusted Christ as your Savior? Do you spend time daily in worship and prayer? I trust that you do, because the safest life and the most satisfying life is under His wings.

The person who lives under His wings not only enjoys the safest life possible, but also the most satisfying life possible. Psalm 91 closes with this promise. "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." This doesn't mean that all Christians will live to be a hundred; the facts prove otherwise. Some of the choicest Christians died before age thirty. A long life refers to quality not just quantity: it means a full and satisfying life. You can live for eighty years and only exist if you leave Christ out. On the other hand, if you yield to Christ, you can pour into forty years three or four lifetimes of service and enjoyment. There is a heart satisfaction that comes only to those who live under His wings, in the place of surrender and fellowship.

The place of satisfaction is the secret place of the Most High. When you yield to Jesus Christ and link your life with Him, then you find the kind of satisfaction that is worth living for and worth dying for--not the shallow masquerades of this world, but the deep abiding peace and joy that can come only from Jesus Christ." (58-59).

Prayer:

Father, I don't know how many years I have. I don't ask for a long life. Rather, I ask for a full life. Your word promises that You protect us in our trials and difficulties. Often, like today, I feel tremendously discouraged about the condition of my joints. I struggled walking today and it is so hard to sense Your care and protection today. I ask for Your healing hands to provide restoration and wholeness to my body, mind, and spirit. I ask not that I would simply be healed, but that Your healing would send me out into further service and ministry.

Living Through Disappointments

I am amazed at the timeliness of some of these chapters and how it speaks to my day. God really knows the details of my life and at what particular moment I will go through a particular situation and to provide the right encouragement at the right time. Today, I had my two-week follow-up for the dermatologist. Two weeks ago they took some skin cells to test what I might have. All this was because of my new primary care doctor who said he wanted me to see a dermatologist to diagnosis the condition on my hand. About eight years my then primary care doctor said it was exema. He did not do any tests, just looked at it and said it is exema. Being a young college kid that did not question things I believed from that point that I have exema. Fast forward to this year and this new doctor wants me to get my skin tested from a skin specialist. Now. this specialist has his office half an hour from our house. With the consultation visit, the test, and now this follow-up, it has been three visits. So, what did the test show? Exema. The sad thing is the specialist said at the first visit that it is not exema. I feel like I wasted a whole lot of time and money on seeing a specialist I didn't need to see. Life is often full of regrets and disappointments. Right now, I wonder it was the right thing to do to have gotten a MSW. It has not proven useful in the ten weeks that I've been back.

Wiersbe always sticks to the Bible when he offers us some encouragement. This is true to for this chapter. He introduces us to another Bible character.

"I want to introduce you to a man who faced lifelong disappointment and yet triumphed over it all. If ever a man experienced disappointments and personal tragedy; it was Jeremiah. He was called to serve God at a difficult time in history,. And he was given a difficult message to proclaim, for God told him to warn the nation that judgment was coming and they had better repent. Jeremiah served the Lord faithfully for over forty years. He never compromised in his message or his loyalty. His family turned against him, and ultimately the entire nation turned against him. He lived to see his beloved nation overrun by the enemy, and his beloved city and temple completely destroyed." (pp. 49-50).

Can you picture Jeremiah’s ministry? Forty years of faithful and loyal service to the Lord. Now, we know men and women in ministry for over thirty years and I imagine they too face challenges. But, picture Jeremiah, preaching to your people for forty years about God's justice, mercy and judgment and having the people not take your message seriously. Then, seeing your beloved nation face that judgment. Jeremiah's reflections are captured in the book following his prophesies, Lamentations. He is known today as the weeping Prophet, and understandably so. Wiersbe points us to one particular verse in Jeremiah that captures how Jeremiah faced disappointments. 

"I could point you to many statements in Jeremiah's prophecy that indicate his courage and faith, but just one of them will meet the need in this message. It is found in Jeremiah 10:19: "Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, truly this is a grief, and I must bear it." That statement is, to me, one of the greatest declarations of faith and faithfulness found anywhere in the Bible. Let's learn from the prophet Jeremiah how to face and conquer the disappointments of life." (p. 50).

Wiersbe goes on to say the first truth we learn is to expect disappointments. "My hurt, my wound is grievous." Life is not disappointment free. There many setbacks we have faced and will face. God does not say that our heart will not be broken or our tears will never fall when we place our trust in Him. Wiersbe then says that Jeremiah teaches us that our grief’s are in the hands of God. He continued to trust God even though his message to the nation was not accepted. God was there whether or not Jeremiah could see or feel His presence. Wiersbe is right in the next observation. Satan temps us with the lie that God has abandoned us. We feel like God has failed.

""Listen to Jeremiah's declaration of faith as he faces the painful disappointments of life: "Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it." He did not blame God or other people; he did not try to "pass the buck"; he did not fight circumstances and try to change God's mind. He accepted by faith the burden of his grief, and he trusted God to work out His perfect will. There is a basic law in this universe that says, "Fight the will of God and it will break you; accept the will of God and it will make you." Which will you do?" (p. 52)

I like this particular saying. Accept the will of God and it will make you. Resist it, and it will break you. We can think of examples like Jonah who ran away from the ministry God called him to and it caused much difficulty not only for him but the people in his life. God has a purpose in our difficulty. It is important to accept His will for our lives. The third truth Were says is to yield to God's will. Jeremiah does this. This is a grief. I must bear it. What words of faith and confidence in God. I don't think many times this is my approach. It is difficult to say that we will accept this and take this challenge on. Yet, in our hardship, God accomplishes a purpose.

What did God accomplish in this tragic history? For one thing, God made a man who was very., much like the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus was here on earth, He asked His disciples what people were saying about Him; and one of the answers was, "You are the prophet Jeremiah." What a tremendous compliment, to be compared to the Lord Jesus Christ! When you read Jeremiah's life, you can find many parallels between him and the Savior-and the thing that made that way was his suffering. The very., disappointments of life were the tools that carved Jeremiah and polished him and made him like Jesus Christ.

Isn't that what disappointments are all about? God is working all things together for good, and part of that good (according to Romans 8:29) is that we might be conformed to the image of His Son--made more like the Lord Jesus Christ. The four men in the Old Testament who best picture Jesus Christ are men who suffered Joseph, Moses, David, and Jeremiah. So, if you and I suffer, it is because God wants to polish us and make us like His own Son.

God builds character in the disappointments of life and He also gives a witness. In the midst of his disappointments, Jeremiah bore witness to the Lord and gave His message to the people. By his preaching and his living, Jeremiah pointed others to God.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the example of Jeremiah. Few of us can imagine the hardship he endured through forty years of faithful ministry to You. I cannot picture preaching to a congregation for forty years and each Sunday know that the people would resist Your message. Where does one find the strength to face that kind of ministry. Jeremiah knew that disappointments and grief’s are a part of life, he trusted You with them and accepted Your will.. What a witness of faith and trust in You. You've placed each of us in particular places that we might be a shining witness of Your work and love. Perhaps, we face the difficulties we have right now to be in a better place to communicate Your love and truth.

Escape or Fulfillment?

These are the options we are presented with in life's difficulties. Do we take the easy way out or do we endure the path that we are on. I can think of particular examples in my own life when I took the escape route. One regret I had in college was staying home when I had a final presentation. I was so gripped with anxiety about presenting that I had stayed home. The result was an obvious "F" on the final presentation and a "D" in the class which I had to retake. I would submit though, that even in our wrong choices, God was still good and I met some solid believers when I retook the class during the summer. I also learned more the second time. The fact still remains that taking the escape always makes for a longer journey. Wiersbe begins this chapter with the example of Jesus.

"When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter tried to defend him with a sword. Jesus rebuked Peter and said, "Don't you know that I could ask my Father and he would give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled?" In this statement, Jesus is telling us that there are two ways to face the crises of life--escape or fulfillment. Which of these approaches do you follow?" (p. 45)

Jesus had the attitude and perspective of fulfillment. Peter, on the other hand had the action of escape. He was ready to take his sword and defend Jesus. Jesus could have easily overpowered the officers who arrested Him, but He willingly went to fulfill the will of God. Peter's method was irrational. He had a sword, but he was no match for the many officers. Peter's trade was a fisherman, not some skilled in fighting. Yet, we can see his determination to defend Jesus. Sometimes, the escape route is irrational and doesn't make sense.

"Before we criticize Peter too much, let's look at our own lives. How many times have we tried to escape when we should have surrendered to the will of God? Don't all of us have scars from battles that should never have been fought? I'm sure we do. Trying to escape the crisis is the natural thing to do, but this doesn't make it right. After all, as Christians we live on a much higher plane--we live by faith, not by sight.

Every life has its Gethsemane experiences. There are those hours when the forces of evil seem to swoop down upon us and capture us. When our plans fall apart. The burdens become almost unbearable. We wonder what can happen next. In those crisis hours of life just keep in mind what Jesus did--He surrendered and permitted His Father in heaven to work out His plan. Jesus did not choose escape; He chose fulfillment." (p. 46)

Surrender. This is one of those key Christian words that we hear sermons about but are so difficult to practice. Living a life in surrendering to God's will is far more difficult than it sounds. We walk by faith and not by sight. So often we choose sight over faith. Peter chose sight although it wasn't really the rational thing to do. He did what any loyal disciple would do, defend his rabbi. Peter did not have in mind God's ultimate will which needed to be fulfilled. He did not surrender. Sometimes God calls us to do things that go totally counter to what we think is best.

Wiersbe then brings out one of my favorite promises from Scripture, Romans 8:28.

"If you are yielded to Christ, your life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments. That God has a plan for you is vitally important. If God doesn't have a plan, then life has no meaning. Suffering is in vain; sacrifice is meaningless. If there is no design for our lives, then there is nothing to fulfill and the logical thing to do is escape. But there is a heavenly design. The will of God for you is the expression of His love for you. This explains that wonderful promise, Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." escape, but fulfillment this is the lesson Jesus teaches us in the Garden of Gethsemane. He could have summoned the armies of heaven to deliver Him, but instead He surrendered that God's purposes might be fulfilled. And He knew when He surrendered that it would mean shame, suffering, and death. By yielding to the hands of sinful men He was actually asking for suffering! But it was the will of God, and that was all that mattered. And what was the result? Resurrection and glory.! The cross was not the end; the empty tomb was the end. He fulfilled the will of God and entered into glory" (p. 47)

God works out all things together for good. This is fulfillment. The way in which He does this doesn't always makes sense. The cross does not make sense to many. I like this part where it says the will of God is His expression of love for us. God's love is His ultimate best for us. He doesn't want us to remain where we are at. He has so much more for us than we could ever imagine. There is a heavenly design.

"You and I have yielded our lives to Jesus Christ; He is our Savior and Lord. He has promised never to leave us or to forsake us. He does not promise to deliver us out of every crisis, but He does promise to bring us through. He wants us to practice fulfillment, not escape; and He has set the example for us. In Him we see that the will of God is the best thing, the only thing. Instead of running away', run into the arms of your loving heavenly Father and let Him fulfill His wonderful purposes in your life today." (p. 48)

Prayer:

Father, thank You always for the example of Jesus. In times of difficulty, I like to run away. Jesus did not run away. He committed Himself into Your care. Likewise that must be our attitude, posture, and desire. You've reminded us that You never leave us nor forsake us and surely You are with us in these difficulties and will bring us through. It is Sunday night, and I have a ton of worries about my life concerning health, work, and singleness. I commit these worries into Your care and ask that Your Spirit develop in me confidence and hope.

Defeating Depression

These two words are words that are like a dream. For some, it is like winning the lottery. Now, I believe that most people have gone through periods in their lives where they felt depressed for a period of time. After a difficult loss or facing a major hardship, these are events that are difficult for anyone. There are some who face depression on a daily basis. Characteristic of depression is self-defeating negative thoughts. I had these off and on while in New York. This also, like the chapter yesterday is very timely. These self-defeating negative thoughts are becoming more and more persistent during these past two weeks as my condition appears to be getting worse. So I approach this chapter with a sense of expectancy and relevance.  

Wiersbe opens this chapter with the words of the Psalmist:

"In Psalms 42 and 43, three times we find the psalmist asking, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?" His world had fallen apart, and he was wondering where God was. He was wondering if he would ever get out of the dark pit of depression." (p. 40.

When one is in the dark pit of depression, one wonders how long it will last and how we can ever see the light of day. God appears to have taken a vacation. Perspective has been lost and self-defeating thoughts become persistent and blinding to the individual facing depression. Wiersbe goes on to innumerate the cost of depression. It costs employers in productivity and it costs human lives as people commit suicide seeing no hope for living. Wiersbe then discusses the spiritual cause of depression.

"Sometimes depression is the result of the attack Satan. He is the accuser and the destroyer. He knows when to attack us and what weapons to use. He likes to remind us of our failures and our past sins. He tries to get us to look at ourselves so much that we forget to look to Christ; and the result is almost always a feeling of guilt and failure and despair." (p. 41)

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about spiritual warfare. In particular the work of satan. He is an accuser. He is a tempter. He is a liar and deceiver. He in particular likes to provoke in us the doubt that God is good. He is so good at what he does for thousands of years that many have lost the battle.

Wiersbe then provides some pastoral insight into depression and the stages of depression.

"This brings us to the second step: self-protection leads to self- pity. We feel sorry for ourselves, so we pull into ourselves and retreat from life. We get all wrapped up in our own problems and pains and forget that other people have problems and pains, too.

This leads to the third step, which is self-punishment. You protect yourself by withdrawing; then you pity yourself because you feel so isolated; and then you start punishing yourself for whatever you think you have done. You become judge and jury and condemn yourself to a life of self-inflicted pain to atone for whatever wrongs you imagine you have done. It is here that Satan enters the picture, because he is the accuser of the brethren. He likes to remind you of your sins, your mistakes, your failures, even your embarrassing moments. Each of these reminders only makes the wounds in your heart hurt that much more, and then you withdraw even deeper and isolate yourself from reality.

No wonder some people to take the next step-- self-destruction. Satan is the destroyer" (p. 42)

Four stages. Self-protection, self-pity, self-punishment, and self-destruction. If we can notice any commonality between all four steps it is the self progressive nature that leads into self-destruction. Protection, pity, punishment and then destruction. It is important to stop the depression early because when someone is at the self-destruction stage, it is very difficult to treat. I do not agree with the order or even the steps that Wiersbe lists here. Self-destruction is definitely the last stage. I see self-punishment more as the starting point which then leads to self-pity and self-protection. Isolation often happens much later. While I was trying to fall asleep last night thoughts of regret came over me. I wonder what would happen if I didn't go to Berkeley and nothing good came out of it. A lot of bad came out of it. I think over and over again that if I had gone to Cal State, it would have been so much better. I would be in a different place today and so would my family, perhaps a better place. Right now, as I struggle to walk and coupled with my visual impairment, I find myself being a burden on my family. Nothing good comes from thinking about this and it leads in only believing that I'll never get better. If I'll never get better, then I'll only be a burden to my family and society, the final conclusion, it isn't worth living.

 

What does Wiersbe propose:

"Self-pity is one of the most dangerous attitudes you and I can ever cultivate. It poisons our system so that nothing looks right; everything people say and do gets out of proportion. Ask the Lord to give you the strength to fight self-pity! In Psalms 42 and 43 the psalmist writes:

"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God ....

Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance ....

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime,

and in the night his song shall be with me       

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me"

In spite of his disappointment, the psalmist looks to God and sees what God can do for him. For you and me, this means looking into the promises of the Word. "O send out thy light and thy truth." (p. 43)

Prayer:

Father, sometimes the solutions pastors offer seem overly simplistic. When our world is so cloudy, everything seems impossible. The Psalmist says to hope in God. Remember Your works. Turn our worry into worship. Remind us of Your promises and goodness. Self-pity, self-punishment, and self-destruction surely are not good things. When we are going through tough times all we can see are the challenges. I want so much to be a contributing member of my family, small group, church, and community and yet right now feel so useless and disabled. This downward line of thinking leads to a sense of persistent helplessness and hopelessness, and the feeling that I am better off departing from this world. Heavenly Father, I cannot heal myself, not of my depression, not of my physical condition and so I look to You for healing, hope, and wholeness.

In Everything Give Thanks

This particular chapter can be easy to apply in some seasons and very difficult to apply in other seasons. My 29th birthday in Davis was one of my top best memories. Many close friends, food, worship, time of sharing, prayer walk, and spending time with loved ones. I sure could and did give thanks for that day. Fast forward two years to now and it is far more difficult to give thanks. My joint condition, my joblessness, my singleness, it is in these moments when it is so hard to give thanks. Yet, at the start of this chapter Wiersbe reminds us of the Biblical mandate:

"Life has its perplexities and even its tragedies. Experiences come to us that we simply don't understand. In fact, there are times when it is too difficult to be thankful. Yet 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

At this point you may say, "But there's a difference between giving thanks in everything and giving thanks for everything." I agree. But the Lord wants us to do both. First Thessalonians 5:18 commands me to give thanks in everything, and Ephesians 5:20 says, "Giving thanks always for all things .... "You cannot escape the fact that God expects us to be thankful no matter what circumstances may come to our lives." (p. 35)

God expects us to be thankful, no matter what. Just half an hour ago the mail came. One letter was from the agency I interviewed at two weeks ago. The first line always sounds so nice. It says thank you for your interest in the position. Then, I know what follows:

Although you certainly had many of the qualifications that we seek for this position, we have selected another candidate that we feel is best suited for the position.

I knew that was coming. Who sends a letter to mark acceptance for a job? I've really wrestled with this one. It has been so long since I have heard any good news, that is positive news regarding myself. It is hard to be thankful for this rejection letter. Yet, my dad, who was the one who gave me the envelope and knew that it was not good news. It was my dad who said that God has something better. Don't give up. He knows my tendencies all to well. Why does God allow for rejection notices and closed opportunities? I don't know. It would have been better if God never even gave me the interview so I wont feel this sense of disappointment and discouragement. I sometimes think that without the disappointments, the celebrations aren't as sweet/. A brother said something that we have sometimes heard. Fake it till you make it. Can I fake being thankful for this rejection notice? Perhaps. I know intellectual that God has something better but it does not take away the disappointment.

Wiersbe then goes into the very real problem of doubting God's love and allowing satan to fill us with lies of God's character. We say to ourselves that we did everything right. We're serving in church. We offer aid to the poor. We are faithful in our work and relationships.

"If we aren't careful, at this point, the devil will come on the scene and start making matters worse. He is the accuser of the brethren and is skilled at getting us to doubt God's love and care. He will say, "If God loves you so much, why did this happen? I thought God promised to care for His children. He certainly isn't caring for you."

At this stage in your experience, lay hold of the truth that God loves you, and don't let anybody steal it away from you. Circumstances may assail you; Satan may accuse you; your Christian friends may even abandon you, but God loves you just as much as He did when He gave Jesus to die for you on the cross. Your circumstances have changed, and your feelings have changed, but God's love has not changed.

When you experience the love of God in your heart, then your faith will grow' stronger, and you will be able to give thanks. To be sure, giving thanks when everything is falling apart is a real act of faith, but we Christians "walk by faith and not by sight, we say to ourselves, "My Father loves me and knows all about this difficulty. Because He loves me, I can trust Him. He has some wonderful purpose in mind that I cannot see just now'. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." When you and I express our faith and love like that, the Father will fill our hearts with His blessing and we will be able to give thanks. It is a miracle of God's grace, and it really works.

Love increases our faith, and when we have faith and love, we will have hope." (pp. 37-38).

God loves me. No matter what, God loves me. Even though it doesn't seem like it at the moment, God loves me. God has a purpose for this. Love increases our faith. Those whom we love we also trust. Like a parent with a child. The child trusts the parents. I like this final line that if we have faith and love then we have hope. Hope is the key word of my season. All the situations mentioned above don't seem so hopeful. Employment, physical recovery, a wife, seem to be real impossible right now and without hope, life becomes very difficult. God knows our needs even when we aren't sure that He does.

"When you and I go through the hardships of life, our heavenly Father says to us: "You don't understand all of this, but I do, and I know it is for your good. Trust me and be sure of my love. I have some wonderful things planned for you--not only in this life, but in the next life in glory, so don't be discouraged." Faith and love unite to produce hope, and when we have faith, hope, and love, we don't find it difficult to give thanks!

"In every thing give thanks .... "We cannot obey that commandment in our own strength; we need the power of the Spirit of God and the encouragement of the Word of God. :p. 38)

Prayer:

Father, how true is that last statement, we cannot give thanks in all situations in our own strength. We need the power of Your Spirit and the encouragement of Your word. Empower us with Your spirit to be thankful even in tough situations. Encourage us with Your word as You have today about Your love and constant care. I stand so amazed that You really truly know me! Before this day began You knew my rejection letter would arrive in the mail today. You knew that today’s chapter was on thanksgiving. You knew also that I would struggle with discouragement. You know the detail of my life and how I even react to disappointments. This chapter is so timely and so relevant. I know today has been difficult. I did not expect this morning that I would receive a rejection letter in the mail. I felt like I interviewed well and I met all the qualifications. Yet, I was reminded today not to lose heart and that this is not the end. I want to believe that You have something far better in store. I wish sometimes that You could take away all the disappointments and rejection notices. Somehow, some way even these challenges are part of the journey with You as You teach us and change us into the people we were created to be.

Constant Care

This chapter title is a lot like the last one,. Rather than phrased in a negative, "never forsaken", it is the positive statement, "constant care". Naturally, if God loves us, and He never forsakes us, He would care. I think about the three meals I had today. I think about the sunshine outside. I think of the roof over my head. I think we take the fact of God's care for granted just like we take the care of our parents for granted when we are little. It is expected. I expected breakfast on the table when I woke up for school. I expected dinner in the evening when I came home from school. It is often when the unexpected happens, then we realize the care is a gift. I took running, climbing, and jumping for granted prior to my joint condition. Now, I can do none of those things. The absence of health causes me to realize health is a gift.

Wiersbe (1987) begins with a poem his friend sent him. It is simple but really true.

Yesterday God helped me,

Today He'll do the same.

How long will this continue?

Forever--praise His name!

I especially like the last line. God helps us forever and forever shall we praise His name.

This concept is Biblical. David wrote in Psalm 54:4, "Behold, God is mine helper"!

Wiersbe goes on to say that we are often prone to forget. There is a truth that I once heard that is repeated in this chapter. We forget the things we should remember and remember the things we should forget. For example, in my own life, I sometimes remember my failures and though it is true we learn from our failures, it is not helpful to dwell on them. God can transform and empower us to do the tasks in front of us despite past failures.

"Remembering God's loving care is the central theme of the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses is preparing the nation of Israel to go into the Promised Land. How does he do it? He reminds them that for forty years God has taken care of them and that God's care is not going to stop when they cross the river. Moses said, "Thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee .... " (Deut. 8:2). You were hungry, and God gave you food. You were thirsty, and God gave you water. You were attacked by the enemy, and God gave you victory. You sinned, and God gave you forgiveness. There was no situation too hard for God." (p. 31)

The people of God were in total dependence on God for those forty years in the wilderness. He provided for them physically and spiritually. Yet often in that journey they would forget God's past provision. God watched over them and cared for their every need. Wiersbe proposes that we need to erect a memorial just like Samuel did and called it "Ebenezer--thus far the Lord has helped us." We do not know what happens tomorrow. We can be sure of this, God will care for us then as He does for us up to this point.

God's promise that He never leaves us or forsakes us is for sure. Wiersbe talks about the three Hebrew children in Babylon who went through the fire and yet God made sure that they were not harmed. And, in the gospels, the disciples were safe in the storm. No, God did not provide a storm free journey,. Storms came and were so dangerous as to frighten seasoned fishermen, but Jesus brings us through the storms.

"The enemy wants us to think that God doesn't care, or that God has forsaken us. When the going gets tough, the enemy says, "If God really loved you, this wouldn't have happened." How many times in pain or sorrow Satan has tried to cast doubts on the love and faithfulness of God. Somehow we have the idea that when life is easy, God is with us; but when life is hard, God has forsaken us--and just the opposite might be true. Too often when life is easy we forget God and start to depend on our own wisdom and strength. It is when the going is hard that we really know how close God is to His needy children." (p. 32).

You know, this is my struggle. This is my struggle right now. My joint condition, my joblessness, my desire for a life partner are constant concerns that God appears silent. Does God care is the lie of Satan that repeats day after day. It is in the pain and difficulty when God seems to not care but it is when life is good that God really seems loving. The challenge is finding God in these tough moments.

Wiersbe says that Jesus did the most difficult thing that is saving our souls from judgment and dying on the cross. If Jesus can do the most difficult thing, He surely can do less difficult things in our daily life. Wiersbe challenges us to rest in Him:

"Often my ministry takes me to other cities. Once I board a jet and get into my seat and fasten the seat belt, I just relax and turn the whole trip over to God and the crew. I don't try to fly the plane. All of my worrying and fretting will never change one rivet or one bolt in that airplane. Life is like this. You have trusted Christ as your Savior, and you belong to Him, Just rest in Him. Don't try to fly the plane--just yield to Christ and let His loving care overshadow you.

After all, God cannot afford to fail us. If He fails, then every, thing in this universe falls to pieces. God must be true to Himself and true to His Word. God cannot lie. His promises are sure and steadfast. If God once failed to care for one of His children, He would lose far more than e would. His we character is at stake! He has promised to care for us, and if He doesn't keep His promise, then He has ceased to be God. You can be sure that this will never happen.

Those times when we thought God had failed us turned out to be times when He was working in a wonderful way on our behalf.

Jacob thought that Joseph was dead, when all the time Joseph was preparing him a home in Egypt. "All these things are against me!" mourned Jacob, when really everything was working together for his good." (pp. 33-34)

Prayer:

Father, what a reminder of Jacob's cry to you. All these things are against me. We can list them. We can list all our problems. My health situation, job situation, longing for a wife and children, desire for leaving behind a spiritual legacy, all these concerns seemingly unfulfilled and and growing dim. Yet You remind us that You care for us at all times. In our darkest moments, You are working something out far better than we can realize. There is a danger in our dark moments when Satan whispers lies about Your goodness. Remind us I pray that You are still God and that You still care even though there appears to be no evidence of it.

Never Forsaken

This chapter title is so relevant as I write this reflection. It is almost 3:00 in the afternoon and small group is in four hours. It seems likely that the pain and discomfort will not lessen in time. I am not sure how many weeks I have missed. It is at least three. Only two hours ago I thought I could make it as my joints felt fine. Now, as I sit here, the pain and discomfort has returned and the pain killers that were prescribed don't even reduce the pain at all. Being stuck at home, limited mobility, isolated, alone has felt quite depressing at times. Forsaken by God, I don't know. I do feel forgotten.

Wiersbe (1987) begins by saying he likes to meditate on God's promises. One personal favorite is given:

Psalm 37:25 says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

David looks back at his life and sees how God has taken care of him. Now, David is a man who speaks with authority on hardships. He was a man on the run as King Saul was seeking to murder him, he faced a rebellion from his own son and countless sibling disputes. We cannot forget all the wars he was fighting in. Wiersbe goes into each stage of life from childhood to adolescence to adulthood and the challenges we all face in each stage of life. Then, he goes on to say that God is with us in each stage:

"What I am saying is that life keeps moving along--we grow older--and each stage in life has its blessings and its burdens, its opportunities and its obligations. What David is saying is wonderful--God is with us all the way. When David was young, God was with him and helped him kill the giant. When David became old, God was still there and helped him stabilize the kingdom and prepare for the building of the temple. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." This is a heartening promise for the Christian believer. No matter how you may change or how life may change, God never changes, and His promises never fail." (p. 26)

I especially cling on to the last two ideas. His promises do not fail. God never changes. I think back upon my short life and see evidence of God's protection,, care, and guidance. Recently, these days, I have been thinking about a major car accident my dad got into going home from Berkeley in December of 2006. Right before we were about to pass Davis on our way home a drunk driver had hit our car, killing the driver, totaling our car. I often wonder why the driver of the other car died, while I live. Our car was undrivable and I should be dead, if not paralyzed. God protected me then, and if that is who He was then, that is still who He is today. Sometimes these moments of pain and discomfort cloud our spiritual vision.

David was a man after God's own heart. He walked closely with God but there were times when he did some things that were extremely wrong. What about those times. Did God forsake David?

"But what about those hours of disobedience? Yes, there were times in David's life when he disobeyed God and sinned. Did God approve of that sin? Of course not! Did God deal with David's sin? Yes, He did. David was chastened for his disobedience. But did God forsake His child because he had sinned? No! There were times when David was not acceptable, but he was still accepted. David's salvation depended on the grace of God, not his own good works; and God was faithful to keep His promise. God had to rebuke and discipline David, but God never forsook him.

The fact that God does chasten us when we refuse to confess our sins is proof that He is with us and not against us. As parents, we often have to spank our children, and we do it because we love them. When a child disobeys, he doesn't cease being a member of the family! His fellowship with the family may be broken, but his sonship goes right on. We don't forsake our children when they disobey, and God the heavenly Father doesn't forsake us when we sin. He lovingly warns us, convicts us, rebukes us, and, if necessary chastens us; and all of this is proof that He has not forsaken us." (p. 28-29).

I love what Wiersbe says about the times when we walk outside of the will of God. In those moments, we may be unacceptable, but still accepted. Our relationship with God is based on grace, not works. Fellowship may be broken, but sonship goes on. We are not disowned by God. Sometimes in strict cultures when we do something to disgrace the family, we may be disowned by the family. God does not operate like that and His rebuke and discipline is evidence of His love. If we were not His children He would leave us alone. David faced the consequences of his sin but his relationship with God was mended.

The other part of the Psalm talks about the fact that God cares about our needs.

"Is God concerned about the everyday needs of your life? Of course He is! Jesus told us that God watches the sparrows when they fall, and surely God sees us and knows our needs. As Jesus ministered here on earth during those three marvelous years, He met the physical, emotional, and material needs of people. He was concerned about the children; He had time for the lepers and the handicapped; He fed hungry people. Of course, His greatest deed was His death on the cross for the sins of the world, for man's greatest need is salvation. Jesus Christ was not deaf to the pleas of the blind; He heard the cries of the sorrowing; and He met the needs of the people." (p. 29).

Prayer:

Dearest Jesus, I am reminded in the gospels of your care for humanity. Tonight, at small group we reflect upon your healing of the official's daughter and the woman who had internal bleeding for twelve years. She spent all she had on healing yet found no cure. I find so many parallels to her story and mine. Medicine, tests, and such are absurdly expensive but provide no lasting hope. The woman just touched your garment and was instantly healed for You give life to dying people. Likewise, I take pain medication with no hope of pain relief. I have tests done with no diagnosis yet given of my situation. I estimate thousands of dollars are needed for my medical therapy and over a lifetime, I don't even know. This is money I don't have. So far, it has been about nine weeks since graduation. Day after day, week after week I send in job applications with no hope of seeing employment. Hope for employment is like a dim light growing dimmer. Jesus, Your word says that You never leave us nor forsake us and You care for our every need. I pray this afternoon to know Your healing touch and words of hope. May this promise change and transform me.

Three Important Looks

I would like to take a moment first and respond to Mike's comment and song. I remember that song too growing up. Unfortunately, the only words I could understand were in the title of "Joy and Pain". I just found the lyrics and it has probably been like twenty years since I listened to that song.

Joy And Pain

Frankie Beverley And Maze

Remember when you first found love how you felt so good

Kind that last forever more so you thought it would

Suddenly the things you see got you hurt so bad

How come the things that make us happy make us sad

Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Love can be bitter love can be sweet

Sometimes devotion and sometimes deceit

The ones that you care for give you so much pain

Oh but it's alright there both one in the same

Don't it seem we go through life going up and down

Seems the things that turn you on turn you around

Always hurting eachother if it ain't one thing its another

But when the world is down on you love's somewhere around

Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Over and over you can be sure

There will be sorrow but you will endure

Where there's a flower there's the sun and the rain

Oh and it's wonderful there both one in the same

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

I like the line where there is a flower there is the sun and the rain. Sunshine and rain are so necessary for growth. Not all days are sunshine and not all days are storms. For a time in my life, early in my Christian life, I stayed away from secular songs, but over time I come to realize that there is truth written in songs in the secular industry. It is like the old saying and one that my professor ended with on the last day of class. "All truth is God's truth". I like the word picture of this song of the flower, sunshine, and rain. Thanks for sharing Mike.

The chapter title is quite interesting. It doesn't give you a clue as to what this chapter is about. You don't really figure it out until about the second page.

Wiersbe introduces the chapter by saying how he likes "last words". That is those words people say before they die. He talks about Napoleon's final words. "France--army- head of army!" There is also John Wilkes Booth. "Useless-- useless." And then British naval hero Lord Nelson. "Thank God I have done my duty.". All these are interesting to reflect upon, but the one that interests us the most is the Apostle Paul who recorded his words in prison in his letter to Timothy.

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

There is confidence in Paul's final words. Wiersbe calls the three looks, looking around, looking back, and looking forward. We begin with looking around. Paul is ready. He knows his death is near. Wiersbe focuses on the word departure. Interestingly, he does not use the word death, but departure.

"It means, for one thing, to take down your tent and move on, the way a soldier would do when the army strikes camp. Paul saw himself as one of God's soldiers, living in a tent--his mortal body. He knew that death was simply taking down the tent and moving into glorious new quarters. Our bodies are just temporary dwelling places. When the Lord calls us home, we will receive marvelous new bodies, permanent houses, and we will have them for all eternity.

The word departure also means to loose a boat and set sail. This is what happens when a Christian dies-- he looses his moorings in this life and this world, and sets sail toward heaven and that eternal shore. Tennyson used this idea in his famous poem "Crossing the Bar." Paul knew that his death was simply a release. The prison was not his permanent home." (p. 21).

The release. This is not our home. We have a better, more glorious place. Paul knew that and seeing his present circumstance he was not afraid to set sail to this better place. The tent is another word picture. Tents are not permanent. Long ago I was a part of a 24-hour relay at the high school. We had teams of ten. Someone would provide two tents. When the event was over we took down our tents. They were never meant to stay there. So it is with our bodies. We have a perfect, glorified body that awaits us. Paul was totally ready to depart from this world. No reservations. No fears.

The second look is looking back:

"As Paul looked back, he saw that life had not always been easy There had been battles to fight, races to run, a stewardship to fulfill. He had fought the world, the flesh, and the devil in city after city, and now he was in his final battle at Rome. There were times when he thought he was going to fail, but the Lord had always brought him through. He could write, "I have fought a good fight."

He could also write, "I have finished my course." This had always been Paul's great desire: "That I might finish my course with joy, and the minist, which I have received of the Lord Jesus..." (Acts 20:24). Each of us has a course to finish. God has a place for each of us to fill and a work for each of us to do. Our times are in His hands. Some are allotted a shorter span for their work; others are given more time. Stephen died as a young man; Paul was permitted to live a longer life. But it is not the length of life that counts--it is the depth and strength of life. Paul had finished his course. He could face the Lord and know that his work had been completed." (p. 22).

Paul felt confident that he finished well. Sure, for all of us, there are temptations and disappointments. There are for everyone. The idea I think is where we stand at the end of our lives. We kept the faith. We stuck it out. We endured. That is where Paul finds himself as he looks over his life. God had been faithful. We are all entrusted with one life. My neighbor's daughter died at 21. Her husband just had his funeral last Saturday and died at 67. Some have long lives, and some short. It is not the length of life, but what we do with it. I think my biggest struggle is discouragement when things seem like there is no hope. My joints are really in bad shape and no one knows the cause or treatment. I send out application after application and don't hear back. I'm not sure if at all I can do anything.

Wiersbe asks a series of penetrating questions. Have we fought a good fight? Do we feel like a victor or victim? Are you still in the battle or a casualty? Have we kept the faith? Have we done the will of God from our heart? These are series questions that deserve honest reflection. These questions have the idea of perseverance. Personally, I have made it day after day but I don't feel like a victor. The third and final look is to look forward.

"Some people, when they approach the end of life, are afraid to look ahead. The Bible warns us, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). But Paul had no fears as he looked ahead. He knew just what would happen: he would meet the Lord and receive from the Lord the crown that he had earned.

There is no peace like the peace we have in our hearts when we know the future is secure. Paul's faith was not in Roman justice or law, as great as they might be. His faith was not in his many friends, or even in himself. His faith was in the Lord. He looked back without regret; he looked around without fear; and he looked ahead without doubt or apprehension because he trusted in Jesus Christ. Rome would register him as a criminal, but in the Lamb's Book of Life he would be listed as a child of God. And he would hear from his Savior, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant .... "

One day life is going to end for you and me. None of us knows the day or the hour, and for some it may be sooner than expected. Our home-going may be sudden; or we may have time to contemplate life as Paul did in that Roman prison. I trust that all of us will be able to look in these same three directions and come out with the same ringing testimony that Paul gives in this last letter that he ever wrote. Yield your heart and life to Jesus Christ. Be faithful to Him, no matter what men may do. The important thing is not the praise of men; it is the approval of God." (pp. 23-24).

Prayer,

Father, what wonderful words of a man about to die. He is so confident in where he will be. He looks back without regret and looks forward without fear. We are asked some very serious questions here. Paul faced very difficult circumstances and he made it to the end and kept the faith. I am about half as old as Paul when he was executed and want my testimony to be like Paul. I want to do Your will with confidence and faithfulness. I desire a strong and deep faith, unshaken by life's challenges. I confess that is not easy and I feel so often quite discouraged at my present circumstances. Remind me that You walk with me moment by moment, day by day through these difficulties.

God Reigns

Last night, as I was lying down to listen to the NBA finals game, an incredible thing happened. My joints had been very stiff all day but some time during the evening, the stiffness had gone. For the first time in nearly five weeks, I could walk normal and pain free even up stairs. Logically, when I would wake up in the morning, one would think that my condition is gone. First thing as I stood up in the morning, the stiffness and pain had returned. Surprisingly, I am fine with what happened. I am more confident now than I was a day ago that God can take away my joint condition, whatever it might be.   

Wiersbe (1987) opens this chapter up with the words from Revelations 19:6: "Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth"! He follows this by stating the obvious realities that seem to contradict God's sovereignty. There is violence and injustice worldwide. Yet, the circumstances in which the Apostle John wrote Revelations were not ideal either.. He was not comfortably sitting in an air conditioned office on a university campus in a suburban campus. No, he was a prisoner of Rome, exiled to the Isle of Patmos. He knew of difficulties and injustice. Yet, John still believed in God's sovereignty. He refused to renounce his faith and was exiled for his faith and his faith remained strong. I like what Wiersbe says:

"God is reigning today. He has not abdicated his throne and turned the universe over to the enemy. It is true that much that goes on in this world is contrary to His will; but where He does not rule, He overrules, and His purposes are going to be fulfilled. After all, He is the Lord-- the Lord God omnipotent, all powerful.

We can entrust our lives and our loved ones into the hands of this kind of God. When you find yourself discouraged or worried or afraid, just remember that "the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." This is the secret of peace and joy in the midst of a troubled world." (p. 17)

The secret of peace and joy in a troubled world is to know that God is still in control. My favorite part about this quote is when it says where God does not rule, He overrules. You might say, this sounds like heresy. "Where God does not rule? Doesn't God rule everywhere? I think the answer is yes and no. Did God rule in Joseph's false imprisonment? Did God rule when Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery? This is where we get into God's permissive will as opposed to His perfect will. Bad things happen, but God's ultimate purpose is fulfilled in the end.

   

Wiersbe goes on to talk about Isaiah and when the Godly King Uzziah died. "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." That is a great picture of the spiritual and physical realities in contrast. Here, one of the Godly Kings die and the nation is in uncertainty. Yet, Isaiah sees God on His throne. When our world is falling apart, God is still on His throne.

Next is the story of Paul in Acts 18. As we know from the letters to Corinth, it is an extremely liberal city. Paul met much opposition there. Yet, in the midst of his struggles, Jesus said to him: "Be not afraid .... for I am with thee .... for I have much people in this city." That has to be one of God's most encouraging words to us and so often stated. Don't be afraid. Then, He follows it with answering our fears. He is at work, right where we are at. "I have much people in this city". Paul must have thought that there were no Christians in Corinth and probably felt very discouraged. Jesus answered his doubts and Paul would plant a church in Corinth. Paul realized God is still on His throne.

"And that's what you and I are going to have to discover if we are going to make it in this difficult world. We can't depend upon our own rule, because we are weak and ignorant. And we can't depend too much on the rule of others, because they are as weak and ignorant as we are. The only thing we can depend on is the rule and reign of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If He is on the throne of our lives, then we can face tomorrow with courage and confidence." (p. 18)

Paul, Isaiah, John, all realized that God is still on His throne even though their circumstances proved that God seem so far from their circumstances. Yet, they remained strong in their conviction that God is in control.

Interestingly, Wiersbe next goes into a talk about judgment. God restricts His wrath.. It is the age old response that God can very easily be just and pour out His wrath on all of mankind. However, today is the day of salvation and not judgment. God rules in grace today and not wrath.

"Judgment day is coming, but right now God is being patient with sinners, knowingly and graciously inviting them to trust Christ and be saved. One of these hours, the day of grace will end and the day of wrath will begin, and then it will be too late. The throne of grace will become a throne of judgment and justice, and all who have never trusted Christ will be lost forever." (p. 19).

Prayer:

Father, I thank You that it is the day of grace and salvation. You demonstrate Your patience and kindness towards us today. All is not perfect today and globally there are so many injustices. One day You will make all things right. Yet, in the midst of the chaos and confusion, we, like Paul, and John, and Isaiah must see You on Your throne, still in control. That is where we can face our situation with peace and joy. I cannot look to myself for salvation, but once again, I am reminded that my focus needs to be on You.